Mine Is The Night by Liz Curtis Higgs

An intriguing story that begins with a recently widowed young woman Elizabeth and her mother-in-law who, after the battle at Falkirk have lost everything including those they held dear. Seeking refuge with a cousin named Anne, Elizabeth strikes out to find means of supporting herself and her family. Having a talented hand with a needle she quickly finds a job, but is soon let go.

Eventually, she finds herself under the employ of Lord Jack Buchanan where she sews uniforms for newly hired staff. Romance unfolds threefold and a charming tale of love emerges throughout the novel. I have to admit that I love Liz Curtis Higgs from her previous novel Here Burns My Candle, so I may have come into this novel a bit biased. Nevertheless I was enchanted by the retelling of the book of Ruth from the Bible. For those unfamiliar with the story, the book of Ruth tells of how God aids a faithful young woman and ultimately rewards her. I do not mean that as a spoiler, as the novel is loosely based up the book, but the plot is a tad predictable. That does not detract from the enjoyment of the story, I assure you.

Ultimately, this novel is a lovely story of faith and love that leaves nothing lacking. Or, perhaps it does depending on how one wishes for a story to end. Higgs ties up the story in a neat bow with an ending most will find pleasing. However, if you're not one for perfectly wrapped up storylines then you might find it disappointed. I'd still give it a go though, overall it's enjoyable and a wonderful historical fiction. 

I was graciously given a copy of this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review, but was in no way compelled to write a positive review.

Courting Miss Amsel by Kim Vogel Sawyer

I have a problem with Ms. Sawyer and it has very little to do with her writing style. Its not often that I read the back of books, I like to be captivated by titles and covers (yes, I'm one of those who judge a book by its cover), but when I agree to write reviews for novels I read the little blurb they offer. I want to read something I find interesting after all, and I only get one choice at a time, so I put my hopes into these quick synopsizes. Each time I have read a novel by Kim Vogel Sawyer I had been completely mislead. That is not to say they are not lovely novels, as they are and I quite enjoy the stories once I get to the heart of them, but the focus in the summary is completely off. I wonder why no one at the publisher's office is annoyed by this. In Every Heartbeat, the other novel I read, the second to last sentence mention the tensions of the world concerning WWI, something that is not even mentioned until the end of the novel. In this novel, Courting Miss Amsel, there seems to be a focus on a trip to see Susan Anthony and the woman's suffrage amendment. Once again, its barely touched upon in the novel and the main focus of the novel? Not even close. 

Now that I've gone off on a complete tangent about my pet peeve with Ms. Sawyer's back covers, I have to say that I did enjoy this novel quite a bit. Its not anything to write home about, the storyline is pretty predictable and I wasn't entirely convinced by the sudden change in the characters at the end, but it was an easy enjoyable read. Edythe Amsel is fulfilling a goal of making something of herself. Coming from a less than idealistic home life, teaching seems the perfect answer. However, Miss Amsel isn't exactly what the sleepy town of Walnut Hill, Nebraska excepted and there a quite a few who cry out in opposition to her new, controversial teaching methods. One man, Joel Townsend, may not fully agree with her methods, but sees the value in her lessons. When Edythe steps too far out of the town's comfort zone, however, even Joel questions if he can support her forward thinking ideas. The revelations Sawyer writes about in her characters aren't exactly realistic, and boy are they sudden. But then again, this is Christian fiction and you know what you're getting into before you pick it up. And you should, pick it up. It's light and sweet, with a hint of history thrown in.


 I was graciously given a copy of this book for free from Bethany House Publishing for this review, but was in no way compelled to write a positive review.